Union anger over the Government's austerity cuts will flare today when the TUC will be pressed to consider the practicalities of organising a general strike.

Delegates at the TUC Congress in Brighton are expected to back calls by the Prison Officers Association (POA)for co-ordinated action and "far reaching" campaigns, including the "consideration and practicalities" of a general strike.

Labour leader Ed Miliband told union leaders last night that their members and the public did not want strikes.

The Labour leader attended a dinner with the TUC General Council in Brighton, where the annual TUC Congress is being held, and said people were angry with the Government over the economy.

The question was how best to get the coalition to change course, said Mr Miliband, adding that neither the public nor union members wanted to see strikes.

"The way to sort out the problems the country faces is for the Government to understand why working people are so unhappy.

"It's because the economic plan is failing, it's unfair. They need to change before greater long-term damage is done," he said.

The general council decided to support the POA motion, which will pile fresh pressure on the coalition in its long-running conflict with millions of public sector workers.

The prospect of a fresh wave of strikes by teachers and other public sector workers is drawing closer, as well as calls for direct action against government policies.

Members of the two biggest teaching unions will launch a campaign of industrial action short of a strike from September 26, with the threat of walkouts later this year over pay, pensions, jobs and increased workloads.

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the POA, said the practicalities of a general strike should be considered.

"The vast majority of my members have faced year on year pay cuts as inflation rises and pay stands still," he said.

"The changes to our pension scheme will take more money out of our members' pockets and see more workers have to work longer."

POA chairman Peter McParlin added: "Prison officers want to avoid confrontation, but if the government remains intransigent, industrial action will be inevitable."

The National Union of Teachers and NASUWT said the aim of the industrial action later this month was not to affect pupils. Teachers will refuse to attend meetings, fill in forms or cover for absent staff.

NUT deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney said the action would be followed by strikes if the Government did not deal with teachers' concerns.

"We will keep strike action under consideration and the Government will have to move by half-term at the end of October," he said.

Asked about calls for a general strike against the Government's austerity programme, Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman said: "Obviously we think that strike action benefits no-one."

Long-term damage will be done to the UK economy unless the Government changes course on economic policy, shadow chancellor Ed Balls will tell the TUC Congress today.

The coalition's economic plan has failed, leaving businesses and families "crying out" for an alternative, he will say.

"Britain is just one of two G20 countries in recession: the longest double-dip recession since the Second World War. Living standards face the biggest squeeze since the 1920s, with prices rising faster than wages. Unemployment is high, with long-term youth unemployment rising month by month," he will say.

"And the costs of this economic failure are rising, with borrowing up by a quarter so far this year.

"But it does not have to be this way; because we now risk a lost decade of slow growth and high unemployment which will do long-term damage. Over 33,000 companies already gone bust since the general election. Investment plans cancelled, or diverted overseas. New ideas and new ventures being promoted in other countries. Our economy weaker and capacity lost and, above all, long-term youth unemployment becoming entrenched, damaging young lives and racking up costs which we will all have to pay."

Mr Balls will face questions from delegates after his speech, with activists planning to tackle him on Labour's welfare plans and on his controversial support for public sector pay restraint.